* China inflation at 5.5 percent in May vs 5.4 pct forecast
* US retail sales for May awaited for further cues
* Oil bounces back after China industrial data; gold up
By Robert Birsel
SINGAPORE, June 14 (Reuters) - Asian stocks gained on Tuesday after China's inflation figures provided some relief that it would not get more aggressive on tightening, helping pull the euro up from near a record low against the Swiss franc.
China's consumer prices rose 5.5 percent in May, a tad faster than the 5.4 percent estimated by a Reuters poll of economists, while retail sales came in marginally higher than forecast and industrial output was slightly lower.
Analysts say while the data suggests China's economy is slowing, the slowdown is not as much as some feared, leaving the authorities free to fight inflation.
Shares in Japan and China rose while Brent crude edged higher after the data, although other global worries such as a faltering U.S recovery and Europe's sovereign debt crisis continue to weigh.
The safe-haven Swiss franc held near a record high against the euro in Asia, benefiting from the ongoing European debt crisis, while the dollar stayed under pressure as other currencies like the Australian dollar squeezed higher.
"The lift from this morning's data shows the market seems to be taking comfort in inflation not increasing too much beyond expectations for now," said Lee Wee-Liat, a managing director at Samsung Securities in Hong Kong.
The MSCI index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan was up 1.07 percent while Japan's Nikkei average ended 1.05 percent higher.
The euro's intraday rebound took it back above $1.44 to challenge near-term resistance in the $1.4430/50 zone. A clean push through that resistance to the $.4470/80 area would brighten the single currency's outlook for now, traders said. The market is now turning its attention to inflation figures in other parts of the world, and most importantly the May data on U.S. retail sales for signs on whether the sudden slowdown in the economy is hampering household spending.
European stocks are expected to remain steady on Tuesday following the Chinese data with a number of investors seeing attractive valuations after a six-week retreat.
GREECE JITTERS GAIN MOMENTUM
Uncertainties over Greece's looming debt problem intensified after S&P on Monday slashed Greece's credit rating to lowest-rated in the world, saying the debt-laden country is increasingly likely to restructure its debt in a way the agency would consider a default. For more, see
European leaders are due to finalise a new rescue package worth about 120 billion euros for Greece at a Brussels summit on June 23-24, but deep divisions remain about how to get the private sector involved. Concern is growing that Greece will eventually have to restructure its 340-billion-euro debt load.
"If a compromise cannot be reached between these positions, there is a chance that the second rescue effort disintegrates, leaving Greece at the mercy of the bond markets," said Karl Schamotta, market strategist at Western Union Business Solutions, in Victoria, British Columbia.
"One suspects that policymakers will avoid such a dire outcome, but the uncertainty is weighing on investment decisions," he said.
In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei ended at 9,547.79 and the broader Topix edged up 1.37 percent to 822.86 at the close.
Shares of electric power companies jumped after the cabinet approved a scheme to help Tokyo Electric Power compensate people affected by the crisis at its crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.
TEPCO rose as much as 25 percent.
OIL, GOLD UP
Gold rebounded after a 1 percent drop in the previous session on economic worries, but a weaker dollar could offer support.
It rose to $1,520.85 after falling on Monday to its weakest since late May. Gold, which hit a record around $1,575 in early May, has been buoyed by uncertainties about the outlook for the U.S. economy and worries about euro zone debt.
Oil recovered on Tuesday after China said industrial production grew faster than expected in May, easing concerns over a global economic slowdown and soothing worries that Europe's debt crisis would dent energy demand.
Brent crude for July
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http://blogs.reuters.com/hedgehub (Additional reporting by Eric Burroughs, Ian Chua, Hideyuki Sano; Editing by Ramya Venugopal)